ASW Weapons Regularization

[el cid again]

Since I have to modify device files for several reasons, I decided to devise and implement an explicit ASW rating scheme.
Finding the values of some DC were exactly cube root of weight (effect), and thinking that is reasonable for DC because they effect a volume of space, I use that directly for DC - but ALL DC are now so rated - not just some. This both increased and decreased some ratings - but not by much in most instances - so it is probably the original system.

For ahead throwing weapons, I found no logic I could fathom. I took cube root of the weight of the projectile as base. I multiplied that times the square root of the number of projectiles (rounded to a whole number) for the number that could hit. I then tripled that value because (a) you can aim and (b) you reduce time to target by flying through the air instead of waiting for the ship to pass overhead. I found this generally lowered accuracy ratings. Hedgehog was about cut in half. But at the same time, Hedgehog EFFECT values about double (from 35 to 65). The square root function means Japanese weapons multiply times 1, while Mousetrap by 2 or 3, Hedgehog by 5 - nice modeling of the impact of more projectiles. But the TWO Hedgehogs are identical - only differing in pattern shape. There is no evidence either was particularly better - and both worked better for USN than for RN. We COULD combine the Hedgehogs - and create a Squid device - but what ships used Squid? It is listed as a WWII weapon - but on what ships?

Device 105 rating 7
106 rating 6 (was 10)
107 rating 7 (unchanged)
108 rating 7 (unchanged)
109 rating 6 (was 60, effect reduced to 10)
110 rating 7 (was 8)
111 rating 8 (was 9)
112 rating 8 (was 13)
113 rating 6 (was 70)
114 rating 60 (was 168, effect increased to 65)
115 rating 60 (was 134, effect increased to 65)
116 rating 12 (was 60, effect increased to 65)
117 rating 24 (was 80, effect increased to 65)
118 rating 12 (was 60)

In addition to devising a defined and published rating scheme, I also was hoping to make ASW less lethal - since it is far too easy to sink a sub in this system. These first pass numbers may have succeeded on both accounts, and are now in test. The other goal was to make RELATIVE weapons ratings more consistent. Why should a depth charge of equal effect be rated 1.5 times greater? Or in one case, 12 times greater? There are, to be sure, more technical considerations. Some DC could sink faster due to shape. Some could dive deeper. But we have no way to implement these at this time, and it would require a more complex system which would be wasted on this simple model.

[DuckofTindalos]

Squid was carried almost exclusively by RN Castle class corvettes. The only two RN destroyers to carry them were Ambuscade (the trial ship in 1943) and Escapade, which didn't get it installed until 1945.

[el cid again]

Thank you sir. Looks like that means we can ignore them. I don't think we have that class PTO.